


Sticky Sweet

by messier51



Series: Tired Tropes [14]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: (sort of), Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Carnival, Established Relationship, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Human Castiel, M/M, POV Dean Winchester, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 11:43:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7616761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messier51/pseuds/messier51
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean loves going out with Cas, even when people misunderstand their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sticky Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [tired tropes](http://messier51.tumblr.com/post/120138934007/ceeainthereforthat-defilerwyrm-why-settle) prompt: "Pretend boyfriends!!!!"

Dean tried to shove a handful of cotton candy into Cas’s mouth without letting Cas’s tongue make a sticky sweet mess of his fingers--again. He wasn't paying attention when Cas turned to respond to another vendor on the side of the carnival-grounds thoroughfare, and almost smacked himself in the face with pink spun sugar.

“Why don’t you bring your boyfriend over here where I can see him? For five dollars, I’ll tell you something you don’t know.”

“I’m not his boyf--” Dean started, ready to fight. The tug of Cas’s hand and _the look_ , the one he gets when Cas wants something, shut Dean up. The tug continued in the direction of the small booth.

“Come along, _boyfriend_ ,” Cas said. He looked at Dean to ask, “Will you pay for me?”

Dean sighed, and looked down at his hands. Cas still held his left hand, his right still had a half-eaten tuft of cotton candy. He didn’t really want to let go of either, so he twisted a little and said, “Sure, there should be a five in my wallet.”

He held up the cotton candy carefully while Cas reached around behind him, sliding his own left hand into Dean’s right pocket.

“Wrong one,” Cas said, and winked.

Cas left that hand in Dean’s pocket, and let go of Dean’s hand to explore with his right hand instead. Dean ignored the not-so-polite cough/laugh/whatever-throat-clearing-noise-that-was in the background. Cas slid Dean’s wallet from his pocket, and pawed through it for the cash. Dean didn't squirm. Much.

Dean breathed out.

Cas handed over the bill with a smile, and listened avidly while the woman explained her psychic powers as inherited, accurate, and a number of other things that Dean didn’t believe either.

Dean finished the cotton candy and watched people crash bumper cars into each other, listened to bells ringing and crowds cheering and people yelling. He breathed in the humid air, heavy with grease and sugar and people. And Cas, still so near to him.

Five dollars to make Cas smile for a few minutes wasn’t a bad deal. Anything would be worth that.

Cas thanked the woman when she finished, and traded Dean his wallet back for the cotton candy. Dean put the wallet back into his pocket, and then wrapped an arm around Cas’s waist.

“Did you hear something you didn’t know?”

“You weren’t listening were you.”

Dean shrugged, bumping into Cas’s shoulder as they walked.

“Madame Mosley told me that you care about me a great deal.”

“You don’t say,” Dean deadpanned.

“She said I might even do well to keep you forever.”

Dean didn’t deign to reply, instead, stealing the last bite of cotton candy off the paper wand. Sometime in the last half an hour the sky had gone from purples and grays to black, and the lights around them sparkled.

“I just might, you know. Keep you.”

“These sorts of things wouldn’t happen if you’d stop losing your wedding ring, you know.”

“You’re not wearing yours!”

“Yeah well,” Dean watched someone swing a giant hammer ineffectually at a large scale. “I don’t want to wear mine if you’re not wearing yours. Someone might misunderstand.”

Cas reached up for Dean’s face, and pulled it close until Dean couldn’t see anything but the faint halos of carnival lights framing Cas’s face.

“It bothers you a lot, doesn’t it.”

“No,” Dean lied.

“I should’ve realized sooner.”

“Hey, I didn’t say anything!”

“You’re my husband, Dean. I don’t want you to feel like this.”

Dean’s stomach flipped over. The word _husband_ does that to him, every time Cas says it. He was tempted to kneel right there in the middle of the popcorn-and-hay-strewn mud just to propose to Cas all over again.

“She said I could probably find what I was looking for under the passenger-side seat.”

Dean frowned for a minute while his mind caught up. Cas was talking about….

_Oh, the psychic lady._

Dean felt the extra lump on the cord under his shirt, where his wedding ring sat safe next to his heart. Dean leaned forward.

“I have a better idea,” he whispered.

Cas shivered, and Dean almost changed his mind. They could go back to the car. Maybe they’d find a ring; if not, there were other things they could do in the passenger seat of the Impala.

When Cas licked his lips, Dean steeled himself and grabbed Cas’s hand again.

“Come on.”

“We’re going the wrong way, Dean.”

Dean squeezed his hand and pulled harder. Three booths down he found what he was looking for: someone selling jewelry. A tray with rings covered in skulls and unicorns and peace signs sat in the middle, and Dean smiled.

He picked through them carefully until he found the row with the right size. He snickered as he made his choice.

“Be mine?” Dean asked, holding out [a ring with a naked, headless angel protruding from the front](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Unisex-Vintage-Gothic-Silver/dp/B015RLZBBY&sa=D&ust=1469782751812000&usg=AFQjCNF_9--XNWY5l6BhLZxdX8Z7_Qe0mA).

Cas raised an eyebrow, and picked up [a chunky ring emblazoned with a star and some other arcane symbols](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/KyraristxJewelry-0S-5SO2-V2084-Star-Ring/dp/B01CZXGAAI&sa=D&ust=1469782701294000&usg=AFQjCNEHIcgTEH-pjDXFLKbqWyJoWYY6CA), holding it out to Dean in return.

“Forever and ever,” Cas said.

Cas slid the hideous thing over Dean’s finger.

“Almost like it belongs there.”

Dean brought Cas’s left hand up to his mouth, and kissed the base of Cas’s ring finger.

“I never, ever want to be your boyfriend again,” he replied, and slipped the angel ring onto Cas’s finger.

“This ring is hideous, Dean.”

“I don’t know, it kinda reminds me of you.”

“Headless? With boobs?”

Dean snickered as he paid the merchant behind the table, who’d put up with their mock marriage renewal.

“Capable of soaring to great heights, but instead you’re stuck here with me,” Dean spitballed.

Cas took a harder look at the ring on his finger. “Okay, I think I see the appeal.”

…

Three days later, Cas found his real wedding ring in the sock drawer. He started wearing both rings, one on top of the other. Dean refuses to wear his carnival ring on his finger--but he swapped it out for the one on his necklace. For their second anniversary, Dean brought home cotton candy instead of cake.


End file.
